PhilosophyBA Honours

UCAS code V5003 Years

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PhilosophyBA HonoursUCAS code V5003 Years

This degree explores philosophical questionslike the nature of existence, mind and body,knowledge, goodness and beauty.

Philosophy at Newcastle provides a thorough grounding inthe main branches of philosophy, with particular focus onthe thinkers and concepts of the European continentaltradition and the history of ideas. 

As a student of philosophy at Newcastle you will:

• explore the relationship between philosophy and otherareas of human endeavour, such as art, religion, and thenatural and social sciences

• choose from our wide range of stimulating modulesincluding: ethics, the nature of freedom, the just society,creativity and taste

• study philosophers such as Plato, Descartes, Hume,Nietzsche, Sartre and de Beauvoir

A degree in philosophy will open your mind to new ways ofthinking. You learn how to question, analyse and balancemultiple (and often opposing) points of view. These are skillsthat are much in demand in a wide range of careers.

Highlights of this degreeQuality and rankingPhilosophy at Newcastle ranks in the top 10 in the UK in the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2020 andthe Complete University Guide 2020. We achieved 96% foroverall student satisfaction in the National StudentSurvey 2019.

Philosophical traditionsYou receive a thorough grounding in philosophical traditions.You start with the study of Plato and Aristotle and theirviews of the cosmos. You also cover early Christianthinkers such as St Augustine.

Your exploration of European philosophical traditionscontinues with the Age of Reason and the study of:Descartes, Galileo, and Newton.

We then move on to the Enlightenment, the movementtowards the liberation of humans by the application ofindependent thought, studying: Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau,and Goethe.

In second and third year, your studies move forward inhistory to focus on contemporary thinkers such as: Kant,Nietzsche, Freud, Heidegger, Adorno, and Foucault.

Boost your employability with a work placementApply to spend 9 to 12 months on anoptional work placement between Stages 2 and 3. Youcan apply to spend your placement year with anyorganisation and will receive University support to do so.

You’ll gain first-hand experience of working in the sector,putting your learning into practice and developing yourprofessional expertise.

It will extend your degree by a year and is subject toavailability, however it isn't available if you're spending a yearstudying abroad.

Find out more about Work Placements.

Fantastic flexibilityA third of your modules are optional at each Stage. Thisallows you to benefit from the University’s expertise in othersubject areas, such as:

• classics• history• politics• sociology• art• history• modern languages

Our links with other subjects add to the richness of thephilosophical debate. On this flexible degree you are alsoencouraged to relate your own philosophical ideas to areasof particular interest.

Project work and skill developmentProject work is an important part of the degree. This allowsyou to study a particular topic in more depth, and bring yourstudies and other interests into dialogue.

Students in the past have written about:

• modern art and authenticity• science fiction films• the nature of reality• animal rights

In the course of researching project and essay material, weencourage you to build up a range of skills that will be usefulin your future, such as:

• the ability to research, analyse and present complexinformation

• data collection and processing techniques, includingdatabase handling

• the ability to develop robust arguments, and to articulateyour point of view

• personal development and management

Your project report will be a document full of pictorial andcontextual evidence of the skills and knowledge that youhave acquired during your degree.

Study abroadYou may take part in a study abroad exchange in Europethrough the Erasmus scheme, or further afield through ournon-EU scheme.

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Course Details

Modules for 2019 entry

Please noteThe module and/or programme information below isfor 2019 entry. Our teaching is informed by research andmodules change periodically to reflect developments inthe discipline, the requirements of external bodies andpartners, student feedback, or insufficient numbers ofstudents interested (in an optional module). To find outmore read our terms and conditions.Module/programme information for 2020 entry will bepublished here as soon as it is available (end of May2020).Our degrees are divided into Stages. Each Stage lasts foran academic year and you need to complete modulestotalling 120 credits by the end of each Stage. Furtherinformation, including the credit value of the module, isavailable in each of the module descriptions below.

Stage 1

Compulsory modulesPHI1002 Philosophy and ReligionPHI1003 Critical ReasoningPHI1004 Stage 1 ProjectPHI1010 European Philosophical Traditions I: Knowledge,Reality, TruthPHI1011 European Philosophical Traditions II: MoralPhilosophy and Human NatureOptional modulesYou can take 40 credits from anywhere in the University,but the following optional modules are recommended:CAC1015 How Should I Live? An Introduction to AncientMoral PhilosophyPHI1005 Existentialism and the SelfPHI1012 Ancient Philosophy I: From the Pre-Socratics toPlatoPHI1013 Ancient Philosophy II: Aristotle and Beyond

Stage 2

Compulsory modulesPHI2001 Kantian and Post-Kantian Philosophy I: IdealismPHI2002 Post-Kantian Philosophy II: MaterialismPHI2003 Ethics and the Modern WorldPHI2004 Stage 2 ProjectOptional modules

Stage 2

You can take 40 credits from anywhere in the University,but the following optional modules are recommended:NCL2007 Career Development Module for Second YearStudentsPHI2005 Consciousness, Art and TechnologyPHI2006 Philosophy, Culture and SocietyPHI2800 Philosophy and SciencePHI2900 Feminist Philosophy

Work placement (optional)

You can apply to spend 9 to 12 months on an optionalwork placement between Stages 2 and 3. You can applyto spend your placement year with any organisation andwill receive University support to do so. It will extend yourdegree by a year and is subject to availability. It isn'tavailable if you're spending a year studying abroad. Findout more about Work Placements.

You may opt to take a year abroad between Stages 2 and3, and spend a year of study in another country.

Year Abroad (1429U)

You have the opportunity to transfer to 1429U BA HonsPhilosophy (with Year Abroad) which involves a year ofstudy in another country. This year abroad does notsubstitute for one year of study at Newcastle, but is inaddition to the three years spent at Newcastle. In order toprogress to Stage 3, you must pass the following module:

PHI3100 Philosophy Study Abroad Module

Students who fail will be required to transfer to Stage 3 ofV500.

Careers Service Placement Year (1434U)

On completion of Stage 2 and before entering Stage 3, ifyou are on the V500 Philosophy programme, you may aspart of your studies for the degree, spend a year in aplacement with an approved organisation and transfer to1434U. If you are required to re‐sit your Stage 2assessment, you must delay the start of your placementuntil you have done so. Students who fail Stage 2 may notcomplete a placement year.  

NCL3000 Careers Service Placement Year Module

Stage 3

Compulsory modulesPHI3001 Social and Political PhilosophyPHI3002 Postmodern Political Thought, Domination andResistance

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Stage 3

PHI3003 PhenomenologyPHI3004 Projects (Stage 3)If you wish to and are eligible to do a semester abroadyou will take the following modules:HSS3601 HaSS Erasmus Exchange Module (Semester 160 credits)PHI3002 Postmodern Political Thought, Domination andResistancePHI3004 Projects (Stage 3)PHI3101 Phenomenology (Study Abroad)Optional modulesIf you are not taking a semester abroad, you can take 40credits of optional modules from anywhere in theUniversity. The following optional modules arerecommended:MUS3076 Music and PhilosophyNCL3007 Career Development for Final Year StudentsNCL3008 Advanced Career DevelopmentPHI3005 Knowledge, Power and DesirePHI3006 The Networked Society: Human Identity andPractices

Teaching and assessment

Teaching methodsLearning in Philosophy is an active process, centring on yourown reading and inspired by lectures and discussion inseminars and tutorials.

You will undertake a project at each Stage. This allows youto study in more depth a particular topic relevant to theideas being studied.

Assessment methodsYour work in each module is assessed through coursework.You are expected to produce around five pieces of writtenwork each term.

Find out moreVisit our Teaching and Learning pages to read about theoutstanding learning experience available to all students atNewcastle University.

Careers

Philosophical Studies careersAlthough Philosophical Studies is generally considered to bea non-vocational degree, employers will value the specificskills that the study of philosophy develops and how you linkthese to the requirements of jobs.

The study of philosophy helps you to develop the ability toanalyse and construct sound arguments, think logically andcritically about ideas and issues, communicate clearly andpersuasively, and generate solutions to problems.

You also gain crucial employability skills sought by graduateemployers, including independent study and self-motivation,the ability to prioritise work and meet deadlines, flexibility,creativity, the ability to identify, absorb and sift complexinformation, teamwork, and applications of informationtechnology.

Throughout the course you will be encouraged to develop apersonal portfolio of knowledge and skills in a field bestmatching your tastes and abilities. This will provide you withan opportunity to get acquainted with the work environmentin an area of employment of interest to you.

Philosophical Studies graduates are found working withalmost every type of employer in the public, private andnot-for-profit sectors. Typical employers include the NationalHealth Service, Civil Service, law firms, charities, publishingand advertising. Some graduates will continue toMaster's-level studies. Popular choices include law,journalism and media.

Find out more about the career options for Philosophy fromProspects: The UK's Official Careers Website.

What our graduates go on to do:employment and further studychoicesSee what our recent graduates went on to do and viewgraduate destinations statistics. These statistics are basedon what graduates were doing on a specific date,approximately six months after graduation. Take a look atthe most recent data available for our graduates.

The destination data is available in varying levels, beginningwith the University and moving through Faculty and Schooldown to individual course reports. This final level may giveyou some useful ideas about possible options after yourcourse or a course you are considering.

Careers and employability atNewcastleNewcastle University consistently has one of the bestrecords for graduate employment in the UK.

96% of our 2017 UK-domiciled UG/PG graduatesprogressed to employment or further study within sixmonths of graduating.

85.5% of our graduates are in graduate level employment orfurther study within six months of graduating.

We provide an extensive range of opportunities to allstudents through an initiative called ncl+. This enables youto develop personal, employability and enterprise skills andto give you the edge in the employment market after yougraduate.

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Our award-winning Careers Service is one of the largest andbest in the country, and we have strong links withemployers.

Fees & Funding

Tuition Fees (UK students)

2020 entry:£9,250For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.Please note:The maximum fee that we are permitted to charge for UKstudents is set by the UK government.As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Tuition Fees (EU students)

2020 entry:£9,250 You will pay the same tuition fees as UK studentsfor the duration of your course.For programmes where you can spend a year on a workplacement or studying abroad, you will receive asignificant fee reduction for that year.Some of our degrees involve additional costs which arenot covered by your tuition fees.Please note:As a general principle, you should expect the tuition fee toincrease in each subsequent academic year of yourcourse, subject to government regulations on feeincreases and in line with inflation.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Tuition Fees (International students)

2020 entry*:£18,000*Please note:You will be charged tuition fees for each year of yourdegree programme (unless you are on a shorter exchangeprogramme).The tuition fee amount you will pay may increaseslightly year on year as a result of inflation.

Tuition Fees (International students)

If you spend a year on placement or studying abroad aspart of your degree you may pay a reduced fee for thatyear.See more information on all aspects of studentfinance relating to Newcastle University.

Scholarships and Financial Support (UKstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.Newcastle University ScholarshipsGovernment financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support (EUstudents)

You may be eligible for one of a range of NewcastleUniversity Scholarships in addition to government financialsupport.Newcastle University ScholarshipsGovernment financial support

Scholarships and Financial Support(International students)

We offer a range of scholarships to eligible internationalstudents:Vice-Chancellor's International ScholarshipsVice-Chancellor’s Excellence ScholarshipsVice-Chancellor’s Global ScholarshipsWe also offer International Family Discounts which areavailable for all international students with a close familymember who has graduated from or is now studying atNewcastle University.Newcastle University offers Sanctuary Scholarships foreligible undergraduate students (excludes MBBS andBDS students) from asylum-seeker and refugeebackgrounds. Some of our subject scholarships and sportsscholarships are also available for international students.

Apply

Applying to Newcastle Universitythrough UCAS

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To apply for undergraduate study at Newcastle you mustuse the online application system managed by theUniversities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

UCAS codes for Newcastle University

• institution name - NEWC• institution code - N21

UCAS buzzwordAsk your teacher or adviser from your school or college forthe UCAS buzzword. You need the buzzword when youregister on the Apply system. This makes it clear whichschool or college you are applying from.

All UK schools and colleges and a small number of EU andinternational establishments are registered with UCAS.

If you are applying independently, or are applying from aschool or college which is not registered to manageapplications, you will still use the Apply system. You will notneed a buzzword.

Making your applicationOn the UCAS website you can also find out more about:

• application deadlines and other important dates• offers and tracking your application

Application decisions and enquiriesFind out more about our admissions process and who tocontact if you need help with your application.

Newcastle's attractive city centre is just minutes fromcampus.